


Late Night

by FishEyenoMiko



Series: Victuals [1]
Category: Tokyo Ghoul
Genre: BFFs, Coffee, Community: cottoncandy_bingo, Cuddling & Snuggling, Eyepatch, Friendship, Gen, Ghouls, Prompt Fill, Scents & Smells, Sleepovers, Sleepy Cuddles, prompt: platonic love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-16
Updated: 2014-09-16
Packaged: 2018-02-17 15:05:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,822
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2313827
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FishEyenoMiko/pseuds/FishEyenoMiko
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kaneki  comes home from a late night at work to a pleasant surprise.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Late Night

**Author's Note:**

> Beta: [AvatarMN](http://archiveofourown.org/users/AvatarMN)

Kaneki Ken walked up to his apartment. He'd worked late, and he was tired. He was looking forward to a shower and good night's sleep.

Standing at the door, Kaneki was suddenly aware of a scent in his apartment... it was a familiar scent. He sniffed again. Hide?

Walking into his apartment, Kaneki saw that, indeed, Hide was standing in his kitchen attending to the coffee maker.

"Hide...?"

"Hello, Kaneki! I knew you were getting off of work late, so I thought I'd let myself in and make you some coffee!" Hide indicated the nearly full pot. "I know you work with it all day, but you still want some, right?"

Closing the door and resting his head against it, Kaneki sighed. "Yeah, I would..."

"Okay. Why don't you go sit down?"

Taking off his shoes, Kaneki walked into his bedroom, sitting at the table. A few minutes later, Hide entered, as well, setting two cups of coffee on the table. Sitting down across from Kaneki, he smiled and took a careful sip.

"It's still hot," Hide warned, blowing on his own coffee to cool it.

Kaneki blew on his coffee, as well, then took a sip. Hot, but not too much so.

"Thanks, Hide," he said, smiling. He noticed Hide was looking at him strangely. "What it is?"

"Your hair...?"

Kaneki ran his fingers through his bangs. "I decided I wanted something different, so I decided to bleach it." Kaneki hated to lie to Hide, but, sadly, he'd become quite good at it.

"... I see," Hide replied. Both his tone and his expression told Kaneki that he didn't believe him, but he seemed willing to let it slide.

"Oh!" said Hide as Kaneki was about to take another sip of coffee, "I almost forgot!"

Reaching into his pocket, Hide pulled out a small bag of the "sugar cubes" Yoshimura supplied Kaneki with from time to time.

"I found these in one of your cabinets," Hide explained, setting the bag in front of Kaneki.

"Thank you," Kaneki replied, picking up the bag and opening it.

As Kaneki dropped the cube into his coffee, a thought occurred to him.

"Hide... you haven’t eaten any of these, have you?" True, Hide had only just now made them coffee, but Kaneki couldn't help but imagine the boy trying a cube, _sans_ coffee, out of curiosity.

"Oh, no, no!" Hide replied, "I know those are only for..."-Hide tripped over a word that Kaneki couldn't quite hear-"...you." he finished.

Kaneki furrowed his brow. Hide just smiled. 

Kaneki sighed. Then he got to his feet, saying, "I need to take a shower."

Hide also got to his feet. "I'll go..."

Kaneki shrugged as he got clothes out of his dresser. "You can stay."

Hide smiled. "Okay. I have my backpack, I can do some studying."

"Sounds good," Kaneki replied, smiling back.

 

Kaneki felt better after his shower. He combed his hair, brushed his teeth, and got into his pajamas. Finally, he put on his eye patch and walked out of the bathroom.

Hide was still sitting at the table reading. He looked up and noticed what Kaneki was wearing.

"Oh, I didn't know you were going right to bed." He closed his book and started to reach for his backpack. "I'll-" 

"No, it's okay," Kaneki replied. "I'm not going right to sleep. You can stay a little longer." Sitting on his bed, he went through a few of his books to see if there was something to read.

The truth of the matter was, Kaneki was enjoying being alone with Hide; not having to worry about working, or dealing with ghouls or doves or any of the insanity that had become a normal part of Kaneki's life.

"Okay," said Hide. "Do you want any more coffee?"

"No, thanks."

"Okay." Standing up, Hide took the cups into the kitchen. 

Kaneki lay down on his side. It wasn't just work that was tiring him, it was... everything. And now here was Hide, the one person who he should be talking to, but... well, he'd never been very good at opening up, even when he didn't have tons of secrets to keep.

Hide came back into the room. He had refilled his coffee and seemed ready to sit down and study again when he looked at Kaneki. His eyes widened in surprise, and he rushed forward, setting his coffee on the table before kneeling next to Kaneki's bed.

"Kaneki! Are you all right?"

Kaneki was puzzled. He had just lain down, and yet Hide seemed to concerned. Well, he supposed he was lying in an odd position--with his legs still down on the floor--and he had done it suddenly. No doubt Hide thought he had fallen over. He was about to say something when Hide leaned in close, resting a hand on his forehead.

Kaneki gasped. Hide's scent had been there the whole time, of course; part of the "background noise" Kaneki had gotten used to as the effect of his keener ghoul senses. But now, this close, Hide's scent was hard to ignore. The boy's soft hand on Kaneki's forehead didn't help, either. Hide just smelled so... _good_. Kaneki was glad he'd eaten well today, so he could enjoy Hide's aroma without experiencing the hunger he so often associated with the smell of humans.

Hide's voice broke into Kaneki's reverie. "Hey, Kaneki...?" Are you okay, Kaneki? Are you sick?"

Kaneki shook his head. "I'm just tired, like I said. Long day at work..."

"Okay," said Hide, standing up.

Kaneki lifted his legs onto the bed, laying more comfortably on it. The he rolled over a bit so he could look up at Hide. The other boy was smiling down at him. Suddenly his smiled turned into a wicked grin.

"Hide...? What are you-"

Pushing Kaneki over, Hide lay down next to him.

"H-Hide!"

"I'm tired, too," said Hide, giving an exaggerated yawn.

Kaneki smiled. He scooted back, giving Hide more room on the bed.

Hide turned to look at Kaneki. He expression changed, becoming a bit more thoughtful. Turning on his side, Hide slid closer to Kaneki. Then he moved down, and leaned forward, resting his head on Kaneki's chest.

Kaneki bit his lip. Hide was close again; his hair was nearly brushing against Kaneki's nose. And of course, the scent... Kaneki smiled.

Hide moved again, lifting his head so that he could look Kaneki in the eye.

"I miss you at school. But I guess working at Anteiku takes a lot of time, huh...?"

"Yeah..."

There was an awkward pause. Hide looked away; up the ceiling. He scooted up again, so that he was face-to face with Kaneki.

"I know, Kaneki."

"I don't-"

"I overheard you and Mr. Yoshimura talking... about how you felt like you had no place in either the human or the ghoul worlds."

Kaneki was stunned. That had been weeks ago; it felt like ages ago, really. Hide had known for that long?

"Hide..."

"I didn't say anything because... well, you seemed to be adjusting, and Mr. Yoshimura and Ms. Touka were helping you. But then..." Hide reached out, running his fingers through Kaneki's hair. "Ever since then, you've been... different."

"Hide... I..."

"You don't have to tell me about it, Kaneki," said Hide. "But... I want you to know you don't have to hide _everything_ from me."

Kaneki smiled. "Okay."

They lay for a second, when a realization came to Kaneki. "Oh!" he said, taking off his eye patch.

Hide's eyes widened, and he smiled. "So you were faking all along... why?"

"When I got hungry, my one eye would... you know..." concentrating, Kaneki made his left change, the sclera turning black and the pupil turning red. His right eye didn't change.

"Oooh..." said Hide, smiling.

Kaneki smiled back. He made his eye change back, so he looked like a human again.

"I can control it better now," Kaneki continued, "but I think I need to keep the ruse up. You're not the only regular human customer at Anteiku."

Hide nodded. "Okay."

"Oh," said Kaneki, "don't tell anyone else that you know about me. Touka told me that if you ever found out, she'd kill you."

Hide looked shocked. "Scary..."

"Yeah..." Kaneki thought for a moment. "I mean I might be able to stop her, but-"

"No, it's okay, I don't plan to tell anyone else." Hide grinned. "Hey, if I could keep a secret from _you_ this long..."

Kaneki laughed. "True, true."

They lay quietly for a moment. Kaneki was still smiling.

"It's nice to see you smiling," said Hide, reaching out to touch Kaneki's face. Kaneki gently intercepted his hand, holding it for a moment. Then he let go, and Hide reached out to touch Kaneki's cheek. 

Kaneki slid closer to Hide. Then he leaned forward, resting his head against Hide's.

Hide smiled, moving his hand down to rub the back of Kaneki's neck and gently play with the hair on his nape.

Kaneki closed his eyes, focusing on Hide's gentle touch. It felt so good...

"It's late," said Kaneki.

"Do you want me to leave?"

"No... quite the opposite," Kaneki replied. "It's just... well, when is your first class tomorrow?"

"I can set my alarm," Hide replied. Being careful not to disturb Kaneki too much, Hide set the alarm on his watch.

They lay like that for a while. Hide continued to stroke Kaneki's hair, and Kaneki had slid his arm around to rest on Hide's back.

Hide cleared his throat. "I'm... kinda warm."

Kaneki chuckled, pulling away. "Me, too."

After thinking for a second, Hide sat up, unbuttoning his shirt.

"Oh," said Kaneki when he realized that Hide was planning.

"Do you not want to... ya know, sleep so close? We don't have-"

"No, no, I do..."

Sitting up, Kaneki began unbuttoning his night shirt.

Hide stood up. He folded his shirt a bit, then draped it over the back of the chair at Kaneki's desk.

"Here," said Hide, holding his hand out, "give me your shirt. Oh, and your eye patch, I'll put it on your desk."

"Okay, thanks."

That done, Hide lay back down, lifting his arm to let Kaneki cuddle up to him again. Both of them gave a bit of a start when their bare skin touched. Kaneki hesitated.

"Kane-"

"It's okay," said Kaneki. "I was just... a little surprised."

Hide laughed. "Yeah... but it's nice."

"Yeah, it is."

Kaneki relaxed, again resting his head against Hide's chest.

This close, against Hide's bare skin, Kaneki found his scent intoxicating. He moves up and back, looking at Hide.

"What?"

Kaneki smiled. "Nothing..."

Sliding close again, Kaneki snuggled against Hide. He buried his face in his shoulder, nuzzling his neck. He sighed happily as he took in Hide's wonderful scent.

Hide giggled at the feeling of Kaneki's hair tickling his cheek, and his warmth breath against his skin.

"Good night, Kaneki."

"Good night, Hide."


End file.
